Environment

4:07 pm

Thu January 23, 2014

State board denies emergency petcoke rules

A major setback to the state of Illinois over the handling and storage of petroleum coke, or petcoke.

The Illinois Pollution Control Board this afternoon denied a request by Governor Pat Quinn to implement emergency rules regarding the handling or storage of petcoke, a dust-like byproduce of oil refining.

Quinn sought the emergency rules through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to combat a threat to residents of Chicago’s southeast side.

The residents live near huge mountains of petcoke, some of which has gotten into their homes.

But Maria Tipsord of the Illinois Pollution Control Board says the Illinois EPA did not provide enough evidence that an emergency exists.

TIPSORD: Based on the record that the board has before us and based on what was provided by IEPA and the commenters, the board felt there was no evidence on the record to establish that threat. It’s not an emergent situation but it is concerning enough that the board will continue with the rule making.

Tipsord said the new proposed rules will go through routine procedures for consideration.